Facilities and Operations
Stricken Japan Nuke Plant Struggles To Keep Staff
May 24, 2013 8:28 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsKeeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in the decades-long effort to safely decommission it.
Fisher-Price Moving, Eliminating About 100 NY Jobs
May 23, 2013 9:09 pm | News | CommentsThe majority of jobs will be reassigned to Mattel's El Segundo, Calif., headquarters, and workers have been offered relocation packages, but an unspecified number of employees received layoff notices, said Fisher-Price, the maker of Little People and Power Wheels.
Dover To Spin Off Communications Businesses
May 23, 2013 9:28 am | News | CommentsEquipment maker Dover Corp. said Thursday that its board has approved a plan to spin off some of its communication technologies businesses into a new publicly traded company. The new company will be known as Knowles Corp. and products will include acoustic components such as microphones, speakers, receivers and transducers. It also will produce communication infrastructure components, Dover said.
Made In The USA Back In Style For Small Businesses
May 23, 2013 8:04 am | by Joyce M. Rosenberg, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsReverie is one of a growing number of small businesses that are chipping away at the decades-old trend of manufacturing overseas. They're doing what's known as reshoring, moving production back to U.S. factories as labor costs grow in countries like China and India and shipping also becomes more expensive.
Ford To End Auto Production In Australia
May 22, 2013 10:03 pm | by Kristen Gelineau, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe closure of the U.S. automaker's plants in the state of Victoria will mean the loss of 1,200 jobs and will transform the company into an import-only brand in Australia. Ford began making cars in Australia in 1925 and is the third largest auto manufacturer in the country.
U.S. Auto Factories Cutting Back On Summer Downtime
May 22, 2013 7:43 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe three Detroit carmakers traditionally shut factories for 14 days around July 4 to do maintenance and change the machinery for new models. But they don't have that luxury this year. U.S. demand for new cars and trucks has been strong, up 7 percent through April, led by soaring demand for full-size pickup trucks.
Ericsson Closes Down Cable Production, Cuts Jobs
May 21, 2013 12:16 pm | News | CommentsWireless equipment maker Ericsson AB says it will close down its telecom cable manufacturing operation and cut around 350 jobs in Sweden. Ericsson said Tuesday it has given notice to 318 workers in the city of Hudiksvall in Sweden and has started negotiations with unions to cut another 36 positions in Stockholm.
Silicon Valley-Area Hub Becomes Factory Town
May 20, 2013 8:28 am | by Martha Mendoza, AP National Writer | News | CommentsFrom Tesla Motors, making cutting-edge cars, to Solaria, making solar panels, manufacturers are drawn to Fremont by incentives including a five-year waiver on business taxes, an expedited regulatory process, proximity to Silicon Valley firms and a skilled labor force.
4-month Strike At Peugeot Citroen Plant Ends
May 17, 2013 11:27 am | News | CommentsA four-month strike at a car factory north of Paris has come to an end, although the workers say they will still fight a plan to close the plant. PSA Peugeot Citroen said Friday that it had signed an agreement with the CGT union to end the strike, which started in January. The CGT called the strike "suspended."
The Ten Commandments Of Industrial Ethernet
May 17, 2013 8:02 am | by Mike Fahrion, Director of Product Management, B&B Electronics | Articles | CommentsA Wi-Fi-enabled computer can connect to multiple networks at the same time. Your employees can give a hacker a pathway into your internal network simply by powering up a laptop. Imagine the mess an eco-terrorist could make if he didn’t like the look of your smokestack.
Authorities: Crime Not Ruled Out In Texas Blast
May 17, 2013 7:49 am | by Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press | News | CommentsInvestigators working in the remnants of an exploded Texas fertilizer plant sifted by hand through untold kernels of corn, moved tons of debris and conducted more than 400 interviews, while searching for the missing piece to solve what many officials compared to an extraordinary puzzle.
The Hidden Cost Of Summer Heat
May 16, 2013 2:29 pm | by Megan Browning, Big Ass Fans | Articles | CommentsUncomfortable working conditions lead to heat-related illnesses and decreased productivity, which negatively affect the bottom line of the business. When working conditions become distracting and debilitating to workers, personal comfort must be addressed to regain lost productivity.
Koch Nitrogen Building Plant In Oklahoma
May 16, 2013 8:05 am | News | CommentsKoch, based in Wichita, Kan., said it plans to invest about $1 billion in the project, with construction slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2014 and the plant to become operational in 2016. The company said the project will increase fertilizer production by more than 1 million tons per year.
2 Companies To Expand Operations In Puerto Rico
May 16, 2013 7:57 am | News | CommentsOne of the largest eye care companies in the U.S. is expanding its operations in Puerto Rico. Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla says CooperVision will invest $250 million to build 15 new production lines, a project that will create some 350 new jobs. The company currently employs 1,600 workers at a plant in the southern town of Juana Diaz.
Manufacturing Revival Radio: Big Ass Fans — Keeping Cool While Saving Energy
May 14, 2013 2:22 pm | by Manufacturing Revival Radio | Podcasts | CommentsToday we had the pleasure of speaking with two individuals that are helping keep America’s work force comfortable. We welcomed to the show James DeSmet and Christian Taber, Director of Engineering and Operations Senior Applications Engineer (respectively) of Big Ass Fans.
Honda To Produce New Acura NSX In Central Ohio
May 14, 2013 11:12 am | by Lisa Cornwell, Associated Press | News | CommentsHonda's new version of its Acura NSX sports car will be produced at a new plant inside one of the automaker's former facilities in central Ohio, Honda said Tuesday. The new $70 million plant, called the Performance Manufacturing Center, will be inside the former North American Logistics facility and adjacent to Honda's existing factory in Marysville.
Glass Door Maker Opening Facility In Kentucky
May 13, 2013 4:52 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA company that makes glass doors will create 100 full-time jobs when it opens its manufacturing plant in western Kentucky. Glass Door Solutions LLC is a new company that plans to lease a facility in Elkton in Todd County with an investment of $3.5 million.
Bobcat Breaks Ground On $20 Million ND Facility
May 13, 2013 2:37 pm | News | CommentsBobcat Co. is investing $20 million in an expansion and renovations in Bismarck, about 3 ½ years after closing its manufacturing plant and laying off nearly 500 workers.The compact construction equipment maker broke ground Monday on a research-and-development facility at its existing site at the Northern Plains Commerce Centre.
Worker Rescued After 17 Days In Bangladesh Rubble
May 10, 2013 1:37 pm | by Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsFor 17 days, the seamstress lay trapped in a dark basement pocket beneath thousands of tons of wreckage as temperatures outside climbed into the mid-90s F. She rationed food and water. She banged a pipe to attract attention. She was fast losing hope of ever making it out alive.
Obama To Open Middle-Class Jobs, Opportunity Tour
May 9, 2013 2:21 pm | by Darlene Superville, Associated Press | News | CommentsAiming to show he's still focused on creating jobs, President Barack Obama is beginning a series of quick trips around the country to resurrect ideas from his State of the Union address that became overshadowed by the intense debates over gun control, immigration and automatic spending cuts.
Q&A: Maintaining A U.S. Manufacturing Presence
May 9, 2013 1:48 pm | by Lindsey Jahn, Associate Editor, Food Manufacturing | Articles | CommentsFood Manufacturing spoke with Roger Kilmer of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) about the importance of maintaining a strong manufacturing presence in the United States, and what resources are available to domestic manufacturers.
DOE: Breach At Nuclear Plant 'Unacceptable'
May 9, 2013 8:36 am | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsA breach in which an 82-year-old nun and two other protesters sneaked into a Tennessee nuclear weapons plant last year is "completely unacceptable" and an "important wake-up call" for the government, the head of an agency charged with safeguarding the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile said Wednesday.
Bangladesh Fire Kills 8 As Collapse Toll Hits 948
May 9, 2013 8:01 am | by Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsA fire in an 11-story garment factory in Bangladesh killed eight people, including a ruling-party politician and a top official in the country's powerful clothing manufacturers' trade group, as the death toll from the collapse of another garment factory building passed 900 on Thursday.
Detroit Adds Watches To The List Of Stuff It Makes
May 9, 2013 3:21 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsDetroit has a long history of making stuff — cars, steel, even popcorn. Now, the city is home to a manufacturing facility devoted to the production of an item not made at this scale in the U.S. for decades: Wristwatches. A Dallas-based company has set up a production line for its Shinola brand of watches in Detroit.
Deal: Dubai Company To Build Ga. Plant
May 8, 2013 1:54 pm | News | CommentsGov. Nathan Deal says a company based in Dubai plans to build a manufacturing plant in Murray County with the goal of creating 200 jobs over the next three years. Mattex is headquartered in Dubai and is a leading provider of carpet backings and other textiles. The company has four facilities in the Middle East and plans to invest $60 million in its first U.S. plant.
